Epoxy resin composition, process for producing epoxy resin, novel epoxy resin, novel phenol resin

Abstract

In the technical field where a difunctional epoxy resin having increased molecular weight is used to impart flexibility or improving dielectric properties, the present invention has remarkably improved moisture resistance and water resistance when used to produce a cured epoxy resin article. The epoxy resin composition comprises a difunctional epoxy resin (A) having a structure wherein an aromatic hydrocarbon group (a1) having a bonding site in an aromatic nucleus and a hydrocarbon group (a2) having an ether bond or the other hydrocarbon group (a3) are bonded via an acetal bond (a4), and also has a structure wherein a glycidyloxy group is bonded to the aromatic hydrocarbon group (a1); and a curing agent (B) as essential component.

1. An epoxy resin represented by the following general formula 1: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1  and R 2  each represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R 3  to R 6  each represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom, X represents an ethyleneoxyethyl group, a di(ethyleneoxy)ethyl group, a tri(ethyleneoxy)ethyl group, a propyleneoxypropyl group, a di(propyleneoxy)propyl group, a tri(propyleneoxy)propyl group, or an alkylene group having 2 to 15 carbon atoms, n is a natural number, and the average thereof is from 1.2 to 5. 
     
     
       2. An epoxy resin represented by the following general formula 2: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1  and R 2  each represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R 3  to R 6  each represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom, X represents a C 6-17  aliphatic hydrocarbon group having a cycloalkane skeleton, n is a natural number, and the average thereof is from 1.2 to 5. 
     
     
       3. An epoxy resin represented by the following general formula 3: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 3  to R 6  each represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom, X each independently represents a C 6-17  aliphatic hydrocarbon group having a cycloalkane skeleton, n is a natural number, and the average thereof is from 1.2 to 5.